Disposable garbage bag



Sept. 13, 1960 F. L. ROSNER 2,952,381

DISPOSABLE GARBAGE BAG Filed July 11, 1956 V INVENTOR Frances L. Rosner BY QM ATTORNEY United States Patent DISPOSABLE GARBAGE BAG Frances L. Rosner, 1344 Midway Parkway, St. Paul 13, Minn.

Filed July 11, 1956, Ser. No. 597,158

9 Claims. (Cl. 220-19) This invention relates to an improvement in disposable garbage bag and support and deals particularly with a means and apparatus for simplifying the disposal of garbage and the like.

For a great many years the handling of garbage in a kitchen has been a considerable problem. In some cases the difficulty has been overcome by installing a garbage disposal unit in the sink. However, such disposal units are not universally used in view of their high cost and in some instances they cannot be used, particularly where the garbage would be directed to a cesspool or the like. In many instances garbage is placed in a drain pan and then transferred into a larger receptacle. In some instances a paper bag is used for this purpose. This also involves some difficulties as the garbage is usually wet. If the bag is not made of wet strength paper the moisture in the garbage will soak the bag and destroy the strength of the same. If the bag is of Wet strength paper, the moisture does not escape and causes difliculty in the later handling of the material.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a bag of a predetermined type, preferably made of wet strength paper and having a series of drain openings in one wall thereof intermediate the ends of the bag. The bag is folded so that when it is opened to receive the garbage, the drain openings are positioned at the bottom of the garbage receiving portion of the bag. In garbage receiving position, the lower portion of the bag is not in use. Accordingly, any moisture contained in the garbage may quickly drain through the drain openings in the bag leaving the garbage in a comparatively dry state. When it is desired to dispose of the bag and the garbage, the bag is lifted upwardly so as to unfold. As the bag unfolds, the garbage drops into the imperforate portion of the bag so that the contents can be conveniently carried to the garbage can.

A feature of the present invention resides in the combination of a bag of a predetermined type and of a holder for the bag which will hold the bag in an open garbage receiving position. The holder is generally V-shaped in form and permits the upper portion of the bag to be spread open to receive the waste material. When thus supported, the openings in the wall of the bag are at the bottom of the holder so that liquid can drain through the bag and onto the sink or drainboard on which the support is placed.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the novel method of handling the material which includes the folding of a receptacle into one position in which the drain openings are at the bottom of the bag and in which the moist materials is contained within the upper portion of the bag. When the upper portion of the bag has been filled to the desired extent, the upper edge of the bag is grasped and the bag lifted from the holder. The weight of the contents folds the bag into open position and permits the waste material to drop into the closed lower portion of the bag. The upper portion of the bag is then folded to enclose the contents and the bag and contents are disposed of.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure l is a perspective view of the bag in use and supported in the bag holder.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bag holder with the bag removed.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bag after it has been lifted from the holder.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bag in closed position.

In the drawings, the bag is indicated in general by the letter A while the holder is indicated in general by the letter B. The bag A is placed into the holder and sup ported in an open position in readiness to receive garbage or other suitable material.

The holder B includes a pair of inverted U-shaped frame members 10 and 11 in spaced parallel relation.

The frame 10 includes a pair of upright legs 12 and 13 and a connecting member 14 forming the top of the bag holder. The leg unit 11 similarly includes a pair of upright legs 15 and 16 with a top connecting member 17. The frame is preferably formed of corrosive resistant wire rod or plastic and the two frames 10 and 11 can be formed of solid sheeting if preferred.

A pair of cross braces 19 and 20 extend between the legs 12 and 15 of the leg units 10 and 11 and between the legs 13 and 16 of these units, respectively. A similar pair of cross braces 21 and 22 connect the lower ends of the legs on opposite ends of the units. A series of generally V-shaped supporting rods 23 are terminally connected at their upper ends to the cross members 14 and 17 of the leg units, these V-shaped members being in spaced relation. Thus an open rack is formed which is capable of supporting the bag A and yet which is inexpensive to produce and which will permit free drainage of moisture from the bag.

While a particular form of construction of bag support B is illustrated and while this construction is believed desirable and advantageous, it will be understood that other forms of construction could be employed as long as the arrangement is such to support the bag A so that it can open in the manner illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The bag A may vary materially in form and may be provided with a wedge-shaped bottom as illustrated or may be provided with a flat opening bottom if preferred. In general, the bag A is shown as including a front wall 24, a rear wall 25, and a gusseted wall 26 connecting each side of the front rear walls together. These gusset walls 26 permit the front wall 24 of the bag to fold against one side of each of the V-shaped members 23 so as to rest against the cross member 14 of the leg frame 10 and to permit the rear wall 25 of the bag which is folded against the flat lower portion of the bag to lean against the opposite sides of the V-shaped members 23 and against the cross member 17 of the leg unit 11.

The bag A differs from conventional bags mainly in the provision of one or more rows of apertures 27 extending transversely across the front wall 24 thereof. These rows, or this single row of apertures, is near the vertical center of the front wall 24 although it may be slightly above the center to insure the fact that all. of the con: tents of the bag in folded condition can drop into the lower portion of the bag beneath the perforations when the bag is opened. The bags A are normally furnished in flat condition and are folded along a transverse fold line which may be indicated by the dotted line 29 and Patented Sept. 13, 1960 which extends along or very closely adjacent to one of the rows of apertures 27. Preferably the fold line coincides with the lowest row of apertures if more than one row is employed.

The operation of the garbage bag lieved understandable from the foregoing description. In brief, the fiat folded bag A is placed into the holder B so that the fold line 29 is at the lower end of the holder or at the bottom of the V-shaped supports 23. The bag is preferably placed with the front wall foremost. The folded bottom portion of the bag A, together with the portion of the rear wall 25 above the fold line 29, is folded against the cross member 17 of one leg unit such as 11 while the front wall 24 is pulled forwardly against the cross member 1 4 of the other leg unit 10. The gusset side walls 26-partially open as indicated in Figure l of the drawings.

The garbage or otherwaste material is then placed in the folded bag until the upper portion of the bag is filled or until it is desired to dispose of the garbage. The moisture in the waste material drains through the perforations 27 and into the sink or onto the drainboard.

When it is desired to dispose of the garbage or the waste material, the sides of the bag are grasped at the top thereof and the bag and contents are lifted. As the bag is withdrawn from the holder B, the bottom portion of the bag which has been laying flat against the upper portion of the rear wall 25 automatically folds downwardly and the contents of the bag drop into the lower portion thereof in a manner illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. The top of the bag is then folded over as indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings and the bag and contents may be easily carried to the garbage can or other disposal unit.

The convenience with which the bag and holder may be used isv believed obvious. The holder is extremely inexpensive to produce and the bag differs only from the conventional bag in the provision.of the apertures 27 which may be produced in the wall simultaneously with the formation of the bag. As a result of placing the perforate lines intermediate the top and bottom edges of the bag, the bag is provided with a porous bottom from which water may drain when in receiving positior and still may be sealed so that the water will not drip from the bag while it is being carried after it has been lifted from the holder.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my disposable garbage bag and support, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. 7

I claim:

1. In combination, :a bag and support, the bag including a bag body having front and rear walls, and gusseted side walls connecting said front and rear Walls, and having a closed bottom, said bag being foldable into a substantially flat form with the front and rear walls in substantial contact, a fold line extending transversely across the bag between the top and bottom ends thereof, the portion of the bag between the bottom and the fold line being foldable against said back wall of the bag, said front wall having perforations therein in the area of the fold line, and means supporting said bag with the lower portion of the bag between the bottom and the fold line resting substantially in surface contact with the upper portion of the rear wall and with the upper portion of the front wall diverging upwardly and away from the rear wall and with the line of fold lowermost.

2. The construction described in claim 1 and in which said support comprises -a rack through which water m y drain freely.

and support is be 3. The construction described in claim 1 and in which said rack comprises an open wire rack.

4. A method of packaging disposable material in a disposable bag, the bag having front and rear walls and connecting gusseted side walls, and having a closed bottom, the bag being folded intermediate its top and bottom edges along a transverse fold line and having at least one drain opening in the front wall thereof in the area of the fold line, the method consisting in supporting the bag in an upright position with the line of fold lowermost, spreading the upper portion of the front wall away from the upper portion of the rear wall and from the folded lower portion of the bag, inserting the disposable material in the upper portion of the bag while thus supported, and lifting the bag from supported position whereupon the disposable material drops into the lower portion of the bag.

5. The method described in claim 4 and including the further step of folding together the upper portion of the bag while the disposable material is contained in the lower portion thereof.

6. A disposable garbage bag including a bag body having front and rear walls and a closed bottom, gusset walls connecting the front and rear walls, and a series of perforations in one of said front and rear walls and extending transversely thereof closely adjacent to the vertical center of the bag, and a fold line extending transversely of the bag adjacent and parallel to said series of perforations, said bag being folded along said fold line with said one wall being outermost, whereby the upper portion of said one wall above said fold line may be folded to diverge away from the upper portion of the other of said front and rear walls above said fold line while the portions of the bag beneath said fold line are substantially parallel and adjacent to the upper portion of'said other wall.

7. The structure of claim 6 and including means for supporting said bag with the line of fold lowermost, the upper portions of said front and rear walls in diverging relation and the bottom portion of the bag substantially parallel and adjacent to the upper portion of said other wall.

8. The structure of claim 6 and including added per forations in said one wall above said fold line and adjacent thereto.

9. A disposable garbage bag including a bag body having front and rear walls and a closed bottom, gusset walls connecting said front and rear walls, a fold line extending transversely of said walls substantially midway between the top and bottom edges thereof, said bag being folded along said fold line with one of said front and rear walls outermost, said one wall having drain opening means therethrough adjoining the line of fold, whereby the portion of the bag above said fold line may be opened so that the upper portions of said front and rear walls are in upwardly diverging relation while the bottom portion of the bag below said fold line remains in collapsed position adjoining and substantially parallel to the upper portion of the other of said front and rear walls.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 578,012 Harris Mar. 2, 1897 1,865,555 Brown July 5, 1932 2,010,789 Roesel Aug. 6, 1935 2,092,969 Gustafson et al Sept. 14, 1937 2,222,089 Saffell Nov. 19, 1940 2,688,914 Eckler Sept. 14, 1954 2,695,150 Criswell Nov. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,990 Australia Nov. 14, 1935 651,149 France Oct. 8, 1928 

